Continental Tire IMSA Spotlight: Jeroen Mul

IMSA Spotlight: Jeroen Mul
Driver: No. 16 Change Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3
Follow: @Jeroen_Mul

What do you think about this new opportunity with Change Racing and to be racing in the U.S.?

“I am thrilled to be here. Ever since I started GT racing in 2012 it has been a goal and a dream of mine to come over to the U.S. and try for a championship out here. Just being able to come out (to Daytona) already is a check off the bucket list and something that I am very excited about.

“I am happy to be working with Change Racing and I already thought it would be a great experience, but ever since I arrived here this week they have blown me away in every way.

“The professionalism of the team and the way that the crew works together, the equipment, and just everything. Nothing is half measured; everything is just absolutely spot-on.”

This is a new team and a new track, but there are some familiar faces for you here as well?

“Working together with Johnathan Bartlett, the British engineer, is not new to me. I have been working with him since I started in GT racing back in 2012 in Porsche Supercup. I introduced him to Lamborghini when I moved with them.

“So, I am very happy to be working with him again since our synergy and collaboration is very good.”

This is your first time to Daytona. How did it compare to what you expected?

“The track here at Daytona is absolutely stunning. It is my first time here but I have practiced it on the sim and on Xbox and Forza Motorsport, which we are representing here now.

“That is where most of my track knowledge came from. But nothing really prepares you for the actual first time you turn into the banking and you just feel the car tilt to the left like you are in a roller coaster and going into a corkscrew!

“And then the compression throughout the middle section of that banking is just something completely extraordinary and different than what I have been used to in Europe and racing on all of the beautiful F1 tracks.

“Everything is new to me this year, apart from COTA where I did a driving event with Lamborghini road cars.”

What are your first impressions of the team working through the test?

“Everyone is working extremely hard and we are all working really smoothly and no big issues. We are going through and just making sure everything runs nice and smooth.

“This is an endurance race and we need to make sure we can come to the end. It’s not about outright speed, it’s about making sure the entire process with the team works together and everyone makes sure they know what they are doing and I strongly believe that we can do that.

“Corey (Lewis) wasn’t (at the Roar: Lewis was racing in the Asian Le Mans Series) but I think we are going to be a good team together. He has knowledge of these tracks and the car on these Continental tires so it will be important that we can work well together and have productive weekends.

“I’m hoping that we can push each other to get the most out of every race.”

How did you prepare to get to this point?

“I finished my college degree in Europe in business and marketing in the automotive industry. I did that because I don’t come from any racing pedigree so it started as a hobby for me. I never had anyone in my family that was into racing so I really figured it out all myself.

“In just the past couple of years I realized there was a chance of doing this professionally. Up until that point there was still that push to have a proper education because racing in professional motorsports was very difficult and I had to have my background sorted.

“So, I started working in the commercial sector with some companies in the Netherlands like a watch company and Lamborghini to try to help market the products and sell them.

“Also within Lamborghini, they also see me as a very good ambassador to the brand and in the marketing area and they really push me in that respect.

“I think that is one of my assets is being a good representative of a brand and working together with sponsors and helping market with commercial values. And just that I don’t come from a racing pedigree and it all started on a little go-kart track and snowballed from there!”